A Nargle's Nest
by aaliona
Summary: Charlie returned to England after Ginny is injured and decided to buy her a puppy. No one in the Wizarding World seems to be selling dogs, though, until he is directed to a peculiar shop named a A Nargle's Nest.


**This was written for the May Monthly Challenge at the Twin Exchange. It was a lot of fun to write, and I hope you enjoy it.**

**Pairing – Luna and Charlie  
Prompt – puppies  
Quote – Only if you've got a monkey in your pocket**

"You need to come home. Now."

Charlie glanced up at his fireplace in confusion, where his older brother stood with him arms crossed.

He had not been home since the war ended. Being the family-oriented man that he was, Charlie had attended Fred's funeral and fled the country as soon as possible. People were emotional; dragons were an escape. Returning to Romania had allowed Charlie to mourn in his own way: fast and angry with as much distraction as he could get.

Going home now would mean having to face it all again.

"I'm serious," Bill said. "Ginny's been attacked."

That changed things. Charlie could run from the past, but there was no way he could ignore family. Rushing along, he threw together a knapsack of essentials and returned with Bill. Once he got to St. Mungo's, his mother quickly shooed him away.

"Ginny doesn't need us to hover," she chided. "The Healers say she won't wake up for another couple of hours."

Charlie, choosing not to comment on his mother's own hovering, asked, "What am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

His mother thought for a minute before replying, "Get her a gift. We always send you something when you manage to get hurt out there."

"What exactly should I get her?"

She rolled her eyes. "Get her a puppy for all I care."

Charlie watched his mother walk about towards his sister's room with a smile growing on his face. A puppy? That was actually a wonderful idea. Ginny had always harbored a soft spot for the wet-nosed animals, although their mother had always complained that she already had seven dogs home to which the Weasley children had always feigned ignorance. She did not live at home anymore, though, so his mother couldn't possibly complain. Harry would have to deal with it, not her.

He Apparated to Diagon Alley, hoping to find a dog at Eeyops or Magical Menagerie, but he was told at both places that they didn't carry dogs.

"Is there any place that does?" he asked at Menagerie

The clerk shrugged. "You want a Muggle pet, you look in a Muggle store."

"That takes Muggle money," he moaned. "Isn't there anyplace around here?"

She sighed. "Well, you could try A Nargle's Nest in Hogsmeade."

"What's a Nargle?"

The woman shrugged and replied, "I haven't the slightest, but the owner is an eccentric one. If anyone in our world has Muggle pets, it's her."

Charlie thanked her and left. This place was probably a long shot, but he had already had to switch currencies once in the last two hours; he hated to deal with the inconvenience again so soon. When Charlie arrived in Hogsmeade, he was unsurprised to find a shop as brightly lit as Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. It fit the name. As he entered, Charlie expected to see an old woman behind the counter to fit the "eccentric" comment of the Menagerie clerk.

Instead, he found someone much more youthful and even a bit more familiar. She appeared to be his age or younger, with silvery-blonde hair.

"Hello," she said pleasantly. "A Weasley, right? I've never met you, so you must be Charlie."

Most people could figure out he was a Weasley pretty quickly, but few of them could name him off just like that. "Hello," he said, stepping farther into the store. "Pardon me, but do I know you?"

"I don't believe so," she said. "We might have seen each once or twice. I attended your brother's wedding."

Charlie suddenly realized who she was. "You're Loo- Lovegood," he amended, not wanting to call her Looney to her face. "You wore yellow at the wedding.

She smiled with a nod. "That's right. My name is Luna. It's nice to meet you."

Although it was very unlike what he was used to doing on the reserve – where a slap on the back was an extremely formal greeting – Charlie felt compelled to step forward and shake her hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Luna. Tell me, do you sell puppies here?"

She laughed, and Charlie realized he quite enjoyed the sound. "Only if you've got a monkey in your pocket."

"Why is that?" he asked, brows crinkled in confusion.

"I've always wanted one," she replied and turned towards the back of the store. When he didn't follow, she turned towards him once more. "I was only teasing. That won't be necessary for a dog. They're back here. Ifyoulike, you can pick one out and we can settle the price some other way."

"Money," he clarified.

Luna cocked her head and smiled again. "If you like. I was thinking more along the lines of dinner."

Charlie did not know many girls who were this upfront; even the ones on the reserve tended to be, well, reserved. After a second of contemplation, he decided he liked it.

"Of course," he replied, walking towards her. "I'd love to find out what a Nargle is anyway."


End file.
